* ICYMI: Trump administration hit with federal lawsuit over ‘occupation of Illinois and Chicago’. Sun-Times…

- Illinois and Chicago on Monday accused federal immigration officials of an illegal occupation that’s led to “fear,” “indiscriminate violence,” and an “impermissible interference with state sovereignty” designed to force local leaders to abandon critical public policy.
- The new lawsuit makes claims about the feds’ capture of biometric data, warrantless arrests, immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations” like courthouses and schools, the swapping of license plates and trespassing on private property.
- It points out that, for decades, federal agents enforced immigration laws and arrested individuals subject to removal “without significant impact on public order and safety.” But since September, they “have imported interdiction tactics from the border into Chicago’s neighborhoods, and then, as one senior official put it … ‘push[ed] the envelope.’”

* Related stories…

• The Independent: Minnesota sues Trump administration over ‘unprecedented’ surge in immigration agents that has ‘terrorized’ Minneapolis
• Tribune: Illinois and Chicago sue DHS over ‘militarized’ immigration-enforcement tactics
• Capitol News Illinois: Lawsuit puts Illinois on offensive against ‘menacing’ immigration raids

* Gov. JB Pritzker will attend an 11 am groundbreaking for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project at Illinois State University in Normal. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* AP | Court says Trump admin illegally blocked billions in clean energy grants to Democratic states: A federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration acted illegally when it canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants for projects in states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. The grants supported hundreds of clean energy projects in 16 states, including battery plants, hydrogen technology projects, upgrades to the electric grid and efforts to capture carbon dioxide emissions. [….] Projects were canceled in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state. All 16 targeted states supported Harris.

* ABC Chicago | Illinois House speaker pushing for new millionaire tax with looming $2.2B budget deficit: Speaker Welch suggested Mayor Johnson’s hopes for state approval for progressive taxes, such as one on professional services, may go nowhere. “We’re going to put those things through the hopper like we would any other idea. I don’t know if there’s an appetite for anything right now,” Welch said. A tax surcharge on incomes over a million dollars, modeled after Massachusetts, which Forbes reports saw a windfall of $5.7 billion during the first two years, is possible, he said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Democrat Karim Lakhani is out with a new digital and streaming ad as he runs in the crowded 12th District primary. Four Democrats are vying for the Illinois House seat, which is opening up as Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago) runs for comptroller…

* Press release | Applications Open Today for the Inaugural Porter McNeil Public Service Scholarship: For its inaugural year, the Foundation will award two (2) scholarships of $2,500 each to graduating high school seniors from Moline High School planning to enroll in a college, university, trade school, or post-secondary training program.

* Press Release | Civic Leader Ahmed Karrar continues state Senate campaign momentum with Justice Coalition Action endorsement : In their announcement, the Coalition stated: “We are proud to endorse Ahmed Karrar. Ahmed is fighting to lower everyday costs for families through universal childcare, defend Medicaid and expand women’s healthcare, and build a fairer tax system where the wealthiest pay their fair share so every child can access a fully funded, high-quality public education. This is people-first leadership rooted in fairness, care, and opportunity.”

* WGN | Darren Bailey talks Bears, immigration crackdown and family tragedy amid new gubernatorial bid: If state finances were better, there should be a conversation among legislators, Bailey suggested. When asked whether he supports using taxpayer money to fund stadiums for sports teams, however, Bailey said he has never been in the conversations. “I support keeping teams. It’s big business. It needs to stay in Illinois. Right now, I don’t think the people of Illinois would support that until we get our taxes down,” Bailey said.

* WAND | IL law expands dual language education options: The law calls on the Illinois State Board of Education to adopt a comprehensive plan for school districts outlining steps to establish or expand dual language education in their schools by Dec. 15. House Bill 3026 also requires Illinois to establish an optional recognition pathway to recognize biliteracy at various levels before high school by July 1, 2027. That change would include milestones for bilingual students in Pre-K, fifth grade and eighth grade to encourage early language development.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | City’s planning agency to review Foundry Park zoning proposal: In a nod to those established areas, Letchinger’s plan includes low- to mid-rise buildings and even single-family homes. His tallest building would be about 40 stories, according to documents the Chicago Plan Commission released Monday. The commission, dominated by mayoral appointees, will meet Thursday and is expected to approve zoning for Foundry Park. The matter is on its posted agenda, indicating the project has signoff from the city’s planning staff.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Loop Alliance CEO Michael Edwards to step down: Michael Edwards will leave his role as president and CEO on March 31. The member-based organization has hired a search firm and aims to name Edwards’ successor by April. “While it has been an extraordinary honor to serve this organization and our city for the past 13 years, I believe it is time for new leadership,” Edwards said in a news release. “Together, we have worked to shape the Loop into a vibrant, inclusive and economically resilient district that reflects the best of Chicago.”

* Sun-Times | Todd Smith helped bring down Chicago’s biggest drug traffickers. Now he’s running the DEA here.: “To be honest, Todd was one of the reasons I decided to pursue law enforcement training and education,” says Flores, who served a 14-year prison sentence along with his brother. They pleaded guilty to importing tons of cocaine into the United States and got their lenient sentences for cooperating against El Chapo.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Brandon Johnson will take your calls on ‘Ask the Mayor’ Tuesday: Mayor Brandon Johnson returns to WBEZ 91.5 on Tuesday to answer listener questions live on the morning talk show “In the Loop” with host Sasha-Ann Simons. Listeners can call in at 866-915-WBEZ to present their concerns directly starting at 9 a.m.

* Tribune | Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot sued over credit card debt: Lightfoot was served in October at her Chicago home with a lawsuit from JPMorgan Chase Bank for allegedly failing to pay about $11,078 in bills, according to a copy of the complaint filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The suit says that Lightfoot did not object to the bank’s last statement issued before it declared her debt a charge-off in March. Her last payment on the card was in August 2025, amounting to $5,000, and her next court hearing in the case is in December, according to the complaint.

* Chicago Mag | Revisiting City News Bureau, Chicago’s Trusted Agency: To set the record straight and to tell the real history of CNB, two former staffers have produced Sirens in the Loop: A History of the City News Bureau of Chicago, publishing February 1. The book was a passion project of Paul Zimbrakos, the legendary managing editor who worked at CNB from 1958 until its closing. Zimbrakos passed away in 2022 before finishing the book, but his friend and former employee James Elsener picked up and finished the project.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Gambling Insider | Hawthorne Silent for 2nd Straight Weekend; Fanatics Continues Without Interruptions in Illinois : To date, Hawthorne’s current meet has not started its third month of racing, which started on Nov. 7 and runs through Feb. 15. The track recently completed its latest thoroughbred meet (March 20-Nov. 3) and will run its next thoroughbred meet starting on March 29. “Nothing new to report. We draw Wednesday (Jan. 14) for this weekend’s races,” said Tony Somone, Executive Director, IHHA in an email to GamblingInsider.com Monday morning. “We are hopeful that Hawthorne will have their financing in order by then and that the bounced checks will be made good. They continue to tell us that they are working on a fix for this problem and anticipate that happening any day now,”

* Tribune | Late tax bills have cost Cook County schools nearly $122 million, district leaders say: To bridge the gap in the meantime, school districts — particularly wealthier ones whose budgets rely more heavily on property taxes than on state aid — had to take out loans, cash out investments or forgo other investment income that would have built up on property tax revenues parked in the bank, the Tribune previously reported. According to a group of school leaders who have been surveying colleagues countywide, the interest and issuance cost of borrowing, plus cashed out and lost interest on investments, totaled $59.5 million for suburban school districts and $62.2 million for Chicago Public Schools.

* Tribune | NFL commissioner tours potential new Bears stadium sites, including Arlington Heights and northwest Indiana: Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chairman George McCaskey took Goodell on a tour of the Arlington Heights site the team owns, and two sites in northwest Indiana, including one near Wolf Lake in Hammond. […] Since the Tribune first reported the Bears’ interest in Indiana last month, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has been working with the team to build a new stadium in the Hoosier State.

* ABC Chicago | Harvey mayor misses council’s 1st meeting in months as debt crisis continues, frustrating residents: And despite the south suburban city being in financial crisis, the mayor did not show up, leaving some residents feeling disrespected. The broader council meeting was preceded by a finance committee meeting at which auditors suggested the city is making some progress, but has a long way to go in digging itself out of a more than $150 million debt. Late last year, the town laid off almost half of the fire department and a third of the police force. The council previously declared financial distress, which could bring state oversight and help.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora marks record number of animal transfers from shelter: A transfer, which is different than a direct adoption, is when a different organization takes an animal from a shelter to adopt out on its own. The goal of transferring out is to lower the number of animals the shelter needs to keep itself, opening up kennel space for new ones to come in, according to Animal Control Manager Kameron DeBoer. Plus, other rescue organizations often have foster programs, so the animals can live in homes instead of in cages like they do at the shelter, which makes them happier and healthier, DeBoer said. These organizations also often have an easier time getting the animals adopted, she said.

* Daily Herald | Rosemont raising ticket fees on shows at arena, theater: The village board Monday agreed to hike the fee tacked onto the price of each ticket sold for events at the Allstate Arena and Rosemont Theatre from $2 to $3. The higher fee will apply to tickets purchased online and at the box office as soon as Feb. 1. The ordinance allowing the hike gives Mayor Brad Stephens and Pat Nagle, executive director of the village-owned entertainment venues, authorization to eventually raise the so-called facility services fee to $4.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | ‘Playing with our lives’: Decatur residents cite concerns over city’s ADM CO2 easement: Councilman David Horn said if the city had known about the leak, the council may not have approved the easement. “Had I known that there was a leak in March of 2024, I would have had a different view than I had in March of 2023. And I’m concerned for that. There would be at least several other council members that would have changed their vote,” Horn said.

* 25News Now | Bloomington to focus on growth, services in 2026, says Mayor Brady: Brady said city staffers reviewed property assessments and revenue sources before deciding on higher property tax rates to fund services. On Dec. 15, the city council voted 7-2, with Sheila Montney from Ward 3 and Kent Lee from Ward 8 voting no, to collect $25.3 million in property taxes this year, up 13.44% from last year. The goals now are to adequately fund public safety, repair aging infrastructure, redevelop the downtown, add affordable housing, and improve the water system.

* WGLT | Bloomington Election Commission seeks to fill vacancy: The Bloomington Election Commission is seeking applicants to fill the commissioner seat Terry Luce is vacating. Luce, a Republican, chose not to seek reappointment after her term expired on Dec. 31. The commission has three members who serve three-year terms. The board must have at least one Republican and one Democrat. The chosen candidate can be from either party. McLean County Judge Rebecca Foley will make the appointment. The term is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2028.

* BND | Belleville officials determine former mayor’s City Market plan not ‘feasible’: Officials are looking at an alternative site in the downtown area and hoping the state will allow them to amend a grant agreement and still get $424,850 in matching funds, according to Eric Schauster, the city’s director of grants and special projects. “After more investigative work by engineers looking at the building, we determined that it’s not going to be feasible at (the original) site,” he said last week.

* BND | Former Belleville mayor Rodger Cook’s public service continues after his death: Rodger Cook, who served Belleville as both mayor and a police officer, will continue contributing to public service even after his death with the donation of his brain for head injury research affecting former football players. Dallas Cook, a former Belleville city clerk, said his father died Saturday of a form of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 69 and passed away two days after his birthday.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | The Court Case That Is Allowing ICE to Stop Just About Anyone It Wants: In 1996, the Supreme Court decided Whren v. United States, which came about when plainclothes vice officers patrolling in the District of Columbia passed a truck in a “high drug” area and “their suspicions were aroused.” They had a hunch that the truck was involved in a drug operation. They chose to wait until it had violated a traffic ordinance (turning without a signal) and then used that violation as an excuse to stop the truck. In the course of searching the truck, they found crack cocaine.

* LA Times | New California tool can stop brokers from selling your personal online data: Starting this year, a single request form will allow Californians to demand that data brokers delete their personal information and refrain from collecting or selling it in the future. Third parties are constantly lurking as you navigate the internet, collecting data they can later aggregate and sell, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center. These data brokers can gather your email addresses, Social Security number, as well as details about your income, political preferences and martial status — often without your knowledge — and offer that information to everyone from advertisers to landlords to debt collectors.

* WSJ | X Faces U.K. Probe Over Grok’s Sexualized Images: The U.K.’s communications watchdog has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X social-media platform over sexualized images created by its Grok artificial-intelligence chatbot. Ofcom said Monday that the use of Grok to create and share undressed images of people “may amount to intimate image abuse or pornography.” It also said that sexualized images of children “may amount to child sexual abuse material.”